Resume/CV/Cover Letter. Faculty of Information, University of Toronto Alexander Howes, Careers Officer

Transcription

1 Resume/CV/Cover Letter Faculty of Information, University of Toronto Alexander Howes, Careers Officer

2 iskills - Career Development Series Building Your Professional Network Sept 27 th, Oct 2 nd, Oct 11 th Professional Communications Sept 28 th Job Interview Readiness Oct 10 th, Oct 12 th, Oct 17 th Resume/CV & Cover Letter Writing Oct 4 th, Oct 5 th, Oct 9 th Leveraging LinkedIn Oct 18 th, Oct 24 th MMSt Porftolio Oct 13 th UXD Portfolio Oct 20 th

3 We ll talk about 1. Purpose of a resume & CV 2. Key elements 3. Format, Content, Tailoring 4. Types of resumes 5. Cover letter 6. Final tips 7. Questions

4 Learning Objectives Identify which areas to highlight when preparing applications materials Identify which style of resume, cover letter and portfolio will suit a job position best Identify and work with peers to build teamwork skills and recognize commonalities

5 What is a resume?

6 How to Consider Your Resume 1. Marketing tool 2. Academic Paper 3. Story

7 Activity

8 Resume: Key Elements

9 Organizing Your Resume Always TAILOR your resume & cover letter! For each job by choosing: 1. Type of resume 2. Format 3. Content

10 Types of Resumes By format Standard Creative Guerilla, etc. By content Chronological Functional Combination By job Academic = CV Non-academic

11 Format Finding information Quickly & easily Sections Job titles Organizations Dates Specific elements Consistent format Lots of white space Not too much bold/italic/underline Sans-serif font Include: name, page 2

12 Content: Sections Mandatory Education Work Experience Optional Objective, Highlights, Summary of skills Computer/Technical skills Language skills Academic projects Professional development Interests

13 By Content: Chronological Resume All in reverse chronological order One paid work experience section One unpaid volunteer experience section Works for people with: Same career, longer period Most recent experiences are the most relevant

14 By Content: Functional / Skills-based Resume Instead of work experience: 2-3 sections based on skills Employment history Works for people with: Very little/no experience Varied experience

15

16

17 By Content: Combination Resume 2-3 work experience sections Relevant experience Additional experience Employment history: just a list Works for people with: varied experience career change emphasize one older experience

18

19

20 CV vs. Resume CV Resume academic jobs non-academic jobs

21 CV: Key factors Format Chronological 2+ pages (longer than resume) Content Academic achievements Teaching, research experience Publications Conferences, presentations

22 CV: Europe CV, not resume Each country different CV style General points for European CV: More info, more pages Personal info, picture Chronological order Bullet points and paragraphs

23 Before writing the resume and cover letter start with the job posting Why? Every resume should be written for a specific job Read the job posting several times and find the key duties, skills, requirements Research the organization and job Then start writing the resume

24 Research Review the job posting you brought and ask yourself: What skills are the employers seeking? How do you know which of these skills are the most important to the employer? Frequency of reference, order, wording, read between the lines, researching the company, and knowledge of the job/industry Which of these skills do you have?

25 Intern Junior Research Analyst, Knowledge Centre Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Toronto, ON Internship Duration of Internship: 4 months The opportunity Are you looking to sharpen your research skills amongst a quality team of professionals? We are looking for a curious and driven student who can make a significant contribution to our team o researchers. With over 25 years of collective experience providing research to clients, our team has much to teach however, we also want to learn from you too. This experience will provide you with a solid foundation build your career in corporate librarianship or as a research professional. Who you ll work with The Knowledge Centre (KC) is a small and collaborative group of professional researchers. We assist clients in our Investments Division by providing research packages that respond directly to their information needs. Our team works together in order to meet the shifting priorities and deadlines of o clients. Much of this research work is related to investment opportunities that are being explored by our investment teams; however, all departments are served, meaning the topics covered can vary widely. You will work closely with the KC s research team in a supportive role to address these needs

26 What you ll do Dig for information quality sources and reliable information that can be used in analyses. Conduct in-depth research to support the Knowledge Centre Analysts in their work for clients the Investments Division. Research can be done on companies, industries, countries, or other themes or topics of interest. Synthesis and writing of the findings. At times, this can involve data analysis and manipulation knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint are helpful. Data visualization and presentation Update and refresh quarterly topical reports for clients.

27 What you ll need To be a candidate for a MLIS or MI degree or another similar graduate level degree in informa or research sciences. To be an excellent oral and written communicator and have an interest in writing and synthesi To be a critical thinker and be able to evaluate information sources critically. To be a strong team player. A demonstrated focus on delivering high level client service. A determination to explore and probe beyond the obvious, to answer complex questions. Attention to detail and output. A willingness to contribute ideas! We are looking for fresh perspectives and ideas to keep us u date with current or emerging trends.

28 What we re offering At Ontario Teachers, diversity is one of our core strengths. We are a globally minded organization and take pride ensuring that the people we hire and the culture we create reflect and celebrate diversity of thought, background and experience. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates with a disability taking part in the recruitment process and once hired. How to apply Are you ready to pursue new challenges and take your career to the next level? Submit your application online at and apply to Req # Please include the following documents to your application: Cover letter Resume Copy of your transcripts The deadline to apply for this role is October 12, We thank you for applying, however, only those selected for a personal interview will be contacted. Note that candidates must be legally entitled to work in the country where this role is located.

29 Mapping Key Skills On Your Resume Are these skills and terminologies demonstrated on your résumé? What have you included on your resume that does not align with the skills you identified Can they be reframed so that they do align with the skills the employer is seeking or should it be replaced with something more relevant to the employer?

30 Mapping Key Skills On Your Resume Required Skill Your Experience

31 What is the Highlights of Qualifications (HoQ)? In 3 to 5 bullet points, HoQ informs a potential employer of the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the position you are applying to Replaces Objectives header Tailor your Highlights of Qualifications section to each job you apply to All additional information in your résumé should build on your Highlights of Qualifications section

32 What is the Highlights of Qualifications (HoQ)? Jonathan Chang 321 Eglington Ave. Mississauga, ON B1A 3C Highlights of Qualifications: Excellent research skills, ability to analyze metadata, experience working in banking Fluent in English and Cantonese Analytical and able to develop solutions and deliver quality research analysis Highly motivated to learn from experience

33 Accomplishment Statements: What, Why & How What are accomplishment statements? Bullet points describing your experiences Why write accomplishment statements? Action Verb What You Did Purpose/ Impact

34 Action Verbs

35 Action Verbs

36 Content: Do s Start with a strong, action verb Say what you did and how Always include accomplishments /results Quantify if possible Use relevant and specific details Say: daily, weekly, on time, independently

37 Submitting Your Resume / CV Mail Rare Advantage - formatting: nice paper, colours, font Cover letter and resume in one PDF file Name of file: FirstLastname_JobTitle.pdf message: just 1-2 sentences Online form Upload PDF if possible Text-based resume convert in Notepad Use key words

38 Cover letter: Purpose Supplement to resume Story-like format In-depth description Tailored Show your written skills Show a match Show your interest Show your personality

39 Formatting Heading Greeting Paragraphs: 1. Intro paragraph 2. Middle / Main paragraphs (1-2) 3. Closing paragraph

40 Heading: Example 1 Jane Smith 116 Oxford St., Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1W4, , j.smith@utoronto.ca The Recruitment Office Vaughan Public Libraries 900 Clark Avenue West Thornhill, ON L4J 8C1 January 15, 2012 Re: Graduate Student Library Assistant, #1290 Dear Mr.

41 Intro Grab reader s attention Mention the job title and organization Mention your education Keep it brief the weight is in your examples (3-5 sentences tops)

42 I am writing in regards to your posting of Archives Assistant posted on the University of Toronto Faculty of Information s JobSite. I have had the opportunity to hone hands-on archiving skills, and I am seeking an opportunity to apply these skills to solving real-world issues. I am eager to join the City of Vancouver and contribute overall to the success of the City Clerk s Department.

43 Middle / Main Paragraphs 1-2 paragraphs maximum; just 1-2 relevant examples Write it like a story Show the most relevant skills, experience, knowledge not everything Avoid explaining your entire resume Convince them they will benefit from hiring you Maintain personable tone

44 Final Paragraph Why are you applying? Why this job? Why at this organization? Why you?

45 Final Tips Read the job descriptions Think like an employer Tailor your resume and cover letter for a specific position It s your document take advice as you think appropriate

46 One More Item. Network!

47 Don t forget to sign the attendance sheet! Please fill out the workshop feedback form